Punjab faces greater threat from neighbouring provinces than countries: CM Maryam | The Express Tribune

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said the province faced a greater security threat from “neighbouring provinces than from neighbouring countries”, stressing that terrorism entered Punjab through its provincial borders and calling for greater coordination, intelligence sharing, and the use of modern technology to address it.

Addressing the e-launching ceremony of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub in Lahore, the chief minister said Punjab was facing a rapidly evolving security situation and vulnerabilities across several areas, including terrorism, ethnic and religious conflicts and organised crime.

“As you can see, I am from a tri-border area. I am sorry to say that the threat is less from my neighbouring countries and more from my neighbouring provinces. Terrorism comes from there to Punjab. Everyone has an eye on Punjab,” she said.

She, however, described Punjab as a safe province and said the provincial government had invested billions of rupees in technology to strengthen security.

“I am happy to share that Punjab is now the most AI-enabled province and not only the most AI-enabled province, it is the most technology-enabled province,” she said.

The chief minister said the AI hub would facilitate intelligence fusion, real-time information-sharing, threat anticipation and the study of emerging patterns, allowing the provincial government and law enforcement agencies to respond to potential threats before they developed into incidents.

“There is a rapidly evolving security situation in Pakistan, and there are a lot of vulnerabilities in many areas,” she said, adding that the province faced not only terrorism but also ethnic and religious conflicts, organised crime and the spread of drugs.

She said federal and provincial law enforcement and intelligence agencies had worked as “one unit” in challenging situations, stressing that Punjab had consistently demonstrated a unified response.

“Whenever there is such a situation in Punjab which demands unity, which demands coordination, which demands support across the departments, Punjab has always been the only province which has a very unified response, which has a government of one unit, and all the other departments work together,” she said.

Maryam said the government had strengthened checkposts and joint checkposts in the tri-border areas through technology and fortification.

“When I became the Chief Minister, I saw that the most technologically advanced terrorists had night-vision cameras. They used to come with a lot of planning. Now, thanks to Allah, we have that system,” she said.

She said cameras had been bulletproofed, and thermal cameras and drones had also been deployed.

“We have spent money on fortifying our check-posts and joint check-posts so that our people are safe,” she said, adding that while attacks still occurred, casualties had been reduced, according to her, because of investment in technology and fortification.

The chief minister recalled that checkposts had previously lacked adequate protection, saying security personnel had been sitting behind makeshift barriers. She said they now had high walls and safe rooms where personnel could take shelter during attacks.

She also highlighted the government’s actions in the Kaccha areas, which she described as having previously been a hub of terror and crime, with kidnapping for ransom a daily occurrence.

“Thanks to Allah, we have received support from the military, the Punjab government, and the Sindh government. Kaccha is now a crime-free area,” she said, adding that the writ of the state had been established in the area.

The chief minister said organised crime, including murder, theft, robbery, street crime, vehicle snatching and motorcycle snatching, had posed a major challenge when she assumed office.

She claimed there had been a 70 per cent reduction in crime, while acknowledging that serious challenges remained, particularly child abuse and rape.

“Providing a safe and secure environment is a very difficult task, not an easy task, but a difficult decision. I have made that decision by putting myself at risk,” she said.

She said development projects would have little meaning if citizens remained unsafe.

“If we build roads, if we build metros, if we plant diamonds and pearls, if someone’s house, if someone’s animal is stolen, if someone’s car is stolen after saving money in instalments, then it means that all my investments are in vain,” she said.

Maryam also announced a renewed focus on corruption within government departments and law enforcement agencies.

She said a helpline had been established for members of the public to report demands for bribes and allegations of corruption.

“I request that the public report on that helpline, and we will advertise it as well. And there will be instant action. As soon as we get the evidence, we will arrest them,” she said.

She claimed that hundreds of people had been arrested since the previous day and said she had issued written instructions to civil administration and police officials, including commissioners, deputy commissioners, RPOs and DPOs, to take action against corrupt elements.

The chief minister also said body cameras had been provided to personnel to monitor their conduct during duty.

“I got them to wear body cams only so that I know what they are doing in their eight to 10 hours of duty. And they also know that we are being watched,” she said.

She directed departments to “purge” their ranks and files of corrupt elements, warning that those failing to do so would face strict action.

Maryam said the AI hub would help the province move from responding to incidents after they occurred to anticipating and preventing threats.

“Punjab will get a lot of support in coordination, assessment, and timely action. And this will lead to a very synchronized and coordinated response,” she said.

She said timely intervention could reduce the need for damage control and firefighting after an incident.

“After that, there will be damage control. After that, there will be firefighting. If we can control before that, then it will be a great blessing from Allah,” she said.

The chief minister thanked the Home Department, home minister, IT staff, Special Branch and intelligence agencies for their role in establishing the AI hub and expressed hope that the project would strengthen coordination between federal security departments and provincial authorities.